CURRICULUM IN NUCLEAR ENGINEERING

---

Department of Nuclear Engineering
214 Nuclear Engineering Laboratory
103 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-2295
Fax: (217) 333-2906
E-mail: nuclear@uiuc.edu

For the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering

The curriculum in nuclear engineering provides comprehensive study in basic sciences, basic engineering, the social sciences and humanities, and technical areas specific to nuclear engineering. Engineering principles, including synthesis and system integration and design, are incorporated with the nuclear engineering courses, beginning with an orientation to the discipline taken immediately by freshmen and continuing through the program to the formal two-course sequence of NUC E 348: Reactor Engineering and Design and NUC E 358: Nuclear Engineering and Design, the capstone design project, in the senior year. Sufficient flexibility of course selection of both technical and free electives enables the student to emphasize breadth or depth of study or both. Thus, the curriculum prepares its graduates not only to enter directly into a wide variety of careers in nuclear engineering but also to continue formal education at the graduate level.

    Nuclear engineering is a branch of engineering primarily related to the development and use of nuclear energy sources. It includes the continued application of fission reactors as central electric power plant thermal sources; the longer term development of fusion reactors for electric power generation; and the expanding use of radiation sources in such areas as materials, biological systems, medical treatment, radiation instrumentation, environmental systems, and activation analysis.

    The curriculum during the first two years provides a strong foundation in basic sciences (physics and mathematics) and engineering sciences (analytical mechanics and thermodynamics), an introduction to digital computer use, and an introduction to nuclear systems. Taking these courses during this time in the program provides the student added flexibility in choosing technical elective courses with specific prerequisites.

The curriculum requires 128 hours for graduation.

First year

HOURS	FIRST SEMESTER
4	CHEM 101-General Chemistry
0	ENG 100-Introduction to Engineering
5	MATH 135-Calculus (or MATH 120, Calculus and Analytical Geometry I)1
1	NUC E 100-Orientation to Nuclear Engineering
4	RHET 105-Principles of Composition or RHET 108-Forms of Composition
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities2
17	Total
HOURS	SECOND SEMESTER
3	C S 101-Introduction to Computing with Application to Engineering and Physical Science
5-6	MATH 245-Calculus, II (or MATH 130-Calculus and Analytical Geometry, II and nuclear engineering or technical elective3, 4, 5)1
4	PHYCS 111-General Physics (Mechanics)
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities1
3	Free elective6, 7
15-16	Total

Second year

HOURS	FIRST SEMESTER
3	MATH 285-Differential Equations and Orthogonal Functions (or MATH 242-Calculus of Several Variables)1
4	PHYCS 112-General Physics (Electricity and Magnetism)
2	T A M 150-Introduction to Statics
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities2
2-3	Elective in nuclear engineering or technical elective3, 4, 5
14-15	Total
HOURS	SECOND SEMESTER
3	M E 205-Thermodynamics
2	PHYCS 113-General Physics (Fluids and Thermal Physics)
2	PHYCS 114-General Physics (Waves and Quantum Physics)
3	MATH 280-Advanced Calculus (or MATH 285-Differential Equations and Orthogonal Functions)1
3	NUC E 247-Introduction to Modeling Nuclear Energy Systems
3	T A M 212-Engineering Mechanics, II (Dynamics)
16	Total

Third year

HOURS	FIRST SEMESTER
3	E C E 205-Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Circuits
1	E C E 206-Introduction to Electrical and Electronic Circuits Laboratory
3	PHYCS/NUC E 346-Modern Physics for Nuclear Engineers
4	T A M 235-Fluid Mechanics
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities2
2-3	Elective in nuclear engineering or technical elective3, 4, 5
16-17	Total
HOURS	SECOND SEMESTER
4	NUC E 321-Introduction to Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion
3	NUC E 351-Nuclear Engineering Laboratory
4	NUC E 355-Reactor Statics and Dynamics
3	T A M 221-Elementary Mechanics of Solids
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities2
17	Total

Fourth year

HOURS	FIRST SEMESTER
3	NUC E 331-Materials in Nuclear Engineering
2-3	NUC E 332-Nuclear Materials Laboratory8 or NUC E 344-Nuclear Analytical Methods Laboratory8 or technical elective4
4	NUC E 348-Reactor Engineering and Design
1	NUC E 352-Advanced Nuclear Engineering Laboratory
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities2
2-3	Elective in nuclear engineering or technical elective3, 4, 5
15-17	Total
HOURS	SECOND SEMESTER
4	NUC E 341-Principles of Radiation Protection
4	NUC E 358-Design in Nuclear Engineering
2-3	NUC E 323-Plasma Laboratory8 or NUC E 353-Nuclear Reactor Laboratory and Operations8 or technical elective4,5
3	Elective in social sciences or humanities2
3	Free elective6
16-17	Total

---

1. If a student does not place into MATH 135, the 10-hour MATH 135, 245, 285 sequence is not available and the 11-hour MATH 120, 130, 242 sequence is required. The extra hour reduces by 1 hour the technical elective course requirements. The assocciated course sequence changes are indicated under this note through the first five semesters. If a student receives advanced placement credit for MATH 120 and qualifies for MATH 135, it is highly recommended that the student take the full MATH 135, 245, 285 sequence.
2. Each student is required to select 18 hours, including ECON 102 or 103, from the college-approved list of social science and humanities electives.
3. A student is required to take a minimum of 5 semester hours of nuclear engineering technical elective courses.
4. A student is required to take a minimum of 6 semester hours of technical elective courses, as specified by the department from the college technical courses list.
5. No more than 3 hours of NEC E 200-level courses may be used for NUC E elective credit.
6. A total of 6 hours of electives are free to be selected by the students.
7. Consideration should be given to NUC E 101, Introduction to Energy Sources, as a free elective in the freshman or sophomore year.
8. A student is required to complete a minimum of one of the advanced 2-semester-hour laboratory courses: NUC E 323-Plasma Laboratory, NUC E 332-Nuclear Engineering Materials Laboratory, NUC E 344-Nuclear Analytical Methods Laboratory, or NUC E 353-Nuclear Reactor Laboratory and Operations.